Design A Kitchen The Painless Way!

'Design A Kitchen Checklist' to Streamline the Order of Events and Activities For You

---

Going to do this all yourself? Okay, excellent...

But to design a kitchen it is essential to have a timetable or schedule.

Don't worry! It's not too hard to do if you can first decide on what exactly has to be done, and approximately how long it will take to do.

Depending upon the extent of your renovation, there will be tradespeople, contractors, delivery of products and materials to be co-ordinated in the right sequence.

Below are steps in 'design a kitchen' that will help you to check that everything is considered in time for the next stage of the process. As far as time needed goes, you will have to make an educated guess after talking to your contractors. Remember, this can only ever be a guide - things have a habit of changing a bit along the way!

1. Get a piece of paper and a calendar to plan on. Decide on whether you'll design a kitchen yourself, or hire a designer.

2. Go to showrooms and hardware stores to work out the cost and type of features you'll need for sinks etc.

3. Decide on any reconstruction work (walls, windows) and price materials and labor. If you are going to tear walls down and extend, or put in new plumbing, you may well have to apply for building approvals from your local Council.

4. Work on design, layout, style, materials, and fittings.

5. Get at least 3 quotes from contractors you will need to do plumbing, electricity, joinery, tiling, etc. for each type of job you want done.

6. Make up a budget. Keep a 'wish-list' so that you can come back to this if possible.

7. Add about 25% of your remodeling budget on top of the original budget for a buffer against 'unknowns'. You can bet there will be some of these!

8. Set up a place to act as your kitchen while the construction is progressing. If you fail to plan for this, you may go insane before the remodel is anywhere near complete!

9. Buy appliances, sink, faucets. Order cabinets and island, light fixtures, tiles or other backsplash, flooring and paint. 10. Keep an account of ALL expenditure on associated with the kitchen reconstruction. Expenses have a tendency to start spiraling out of control unless noted with strict disipline.

2. Remove everything from old kitchen. This includes pulling up and lifting carpet, tiles, appliances, cabinets, racks, hooks, rails, etc.

3. Get local not-for-profit agencies to come and take everything away for recycling or distributing.

4. Do reconstruction work.

5. Get plasterer to finish off cornices etc.

6. Clean and dust. Remove grime. (Don't use your vacuum cleaner or you will destroy it! Plaster dust is a killer.)

7. Paint the ceiling...undercoat and topcoats.

8. Leave lights in place until near the end so that you can see to work.

9. Install cabinets, sink, faucets, appliances (oven, cooktop, dishwasher) and island.

10. Fill and sand walls if needed.

11. Undercoat walls.

12. Get plumber and electrician in to connect appliances and sink,lighting, make new powerpoints, and internet connections. 13. Tile or affix backsplash.

14. Protect cabinets while giving walls final coats of paint.

15. Do the floor - sand and polish timber, lay tiles, cork, linoleum, rubber etc.

16. Add cabinet hardware.

17. Paint topcoats on walls and clean (for the 100th time!)

17. Pay your tradespeople and contractors on time.

1. Move everything back into your new kitchen.

2. Buy seating and other accessories.

3. Put the warrantees and instruction manuals away safely.

4. Tally up expenditure and compare with budget set.

If you follow a remodeling timetable like this one, you'll find the process a lot easier!

How to distress your cabinets professionally

Simple techniques for creating a beautiful, warm and functional Spanish kitchen

See how to set and keep to a budget for remodeling

Look at some great kitchen remodeling ideas and tips

return from "design a kitchen" to home page, clever-kitchen-designs.com